Born in Brescia on 19 June 1940, resident in Milan, Italy, in Viale Andrea Doria, Prof. Rovetta graduated with a degree in Electronic Engineering from the Politecnico di Milano on 14 March 1964.
Institutional, scientific, national and international Activities
In 1980 he was appointed Full Professor in the Group of Machine applied Mechanics with a chair in Robot Mechanics, having previously held the chair in Machine Elements with design at the Politecnico di Milano (Faculty of Engineering). From 1991 he worked as a Professor in Robot Mechanics.
From 1991-'92 he taught the Course in "Robot Mechanics" at the Politecnico di Milano (Faculty of Engineering).
He also was teaching as Professor some courses in Industrial Design (Degree Course) at the Politecnico di Milano, Faculty of Architecture, where he conducted courses in: Visual Communication (1994); Foundations and Methods of Industrial Design (1995); Modelling and simulation of mechanical systems (1996), Robotics (1997)
He also lectured in Bioengineering: Modelling and simulation of mechanical systems (1992, 1993).
Now Professor of Progettazione Innovativa di Robot Intelligenti e di Sistemi Autonomi from 2006-2007, Politecnico di Milano, Laurea Specialistica, also in internet
Professor of the Course of Robotica Spaziale from 2005-6, for Ph.Students of Politecnico di Milano, also in Internet
Profe4ssor of Course in Space Robotics at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics , from 2006-7, also in Internet
Activities
Activities in executive Charges.
- Executive Councillor of the International Federation for Theory of Machines and Mechanisms (IFToMM)
The Federation collects 51 Countries of the world and is one of the most important and meaningful in the field of the mechanics of the mechanical systems.
- President of the International Committee in within Uita-Unesco for Advanced Technologies
UITA-Unesco proposes technological actions in the underdeveloped Nations. The committee acts to world-wide level, inside the activity of the United Nations.
- Member of the B6/2 Committee of the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), Agency of the UN (United Nations)
ITU is the Agency of the United Nations that defines the norms for the telecommunications. With it has developed the Project of the United Nations: Telehealth in Africa
- Past President of SINT (International Society of Theoretical Neurobiology) (1993-1997)
SINT, headed from 1991 to the 1993 from Prof. John Eccles, Prize Nobel for the medicine, has promoted the study of the neurosciences in Italy.
Chairman of the World Conference of Theory of Machines and Mechanisms
For the International Federation IFToMM, Milan, 1995 the Conference has been the most significant scientific event of Mechanics of Mechanisms in 1995; in Milan have been collected the most important scientists of the world in the field of the Mechanics of Mechanisms . Journal, television and radio communications have dedicated great interest to the event.
- Coordinator of the European Workshop: Detection and Multimodal Analysis of Brain Weak Signals to Study Brain Function and Disease, 1997
The workshop was requested from the Scientific Commission European of European Union in order to collect the most important European scientists of the neurosciences and to collect their ideas for the next European work plan of research
- Member of the Technical Committees of IFAC (International Federation for Automatic Control), Committee for Advances in Manufacturing Technology and Committee for Advanced Control
IFAC is a prestigious world-wide Association in the field of the controls.
- Member of the International Commission for the General Affairs of the IEEE (Institution of Electric and Electronic Engineers)
IEEE is a prestigious and important association of electronic electrical engineers. The members of the commission are 40, chosen between 300.000.
- Coordinator of the Polytechnic of Milan of the Pilot Project of European Community ECTS (the 1998-1998) and of Project TEMPUS towards the Countries of the European East (1992-1998)
The Pilot Project ECTS is developed for ten years, until arriving to the bases of today ordering of credits and degrees, adopted in Italy like in Europe.
- Member of the Committee of Validation of the job of bank-giving for Italian Collective Contract of metal worker and mechanics workers
Member of the Scientific Committee of International reviews
- President of Commission Micro mechanisms of IFToMM
Co-President of the International Committee "Uomo - macchina" (Man - Machine) of IFToMM (International Federation for Theory of Machines and Mechanisms)
- 2001 – Nomination as IEEE Member of International Committee for IEEE Policy
2005 – Nomination as IEEE Robotics and Automation Member in Award determination and assignment Committee
Member of Scientific Committee of many journals
2006 – Member of Steering Committee of AME Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
2000- 2008 Coordinator Programme INFOPOVERTY (dal 2001) with Nazioni Unite, Parlamento Europeo, UNESCO, OCCAM, Politecnico di Milano, Università Cattolica, Università Oklahoma
PROJECTS MANAGEMENT
INTERNET PROJECT Responsible of the management of the Project “Network for Rare Tumours” with the Institute of Tumours, Scientific Center and Hospital, Milan, Italy, with an international working network by Internet
TEMPUS PROJECT The Department of Mechanics was operating in Tempus Project, during 1993-1996, for the development of the project: Multimediality for Mechanics Teaching in Bulgaria, Hungary. The results have been distributed inside these countries in cooperation with Nottingham University, U.K. The project has allowed to obtain all the mechanics explored and present by multimedial actions. The project has been adopted in the Universities of East Countries above indicated. Prof. Rovetta was the responsible of the Project.
ECTS European Credit Transfer system has been developed in Politecnico di Milano, for the exchange of students in Europe, and a Pilot Project. Prof. Rovetta has been scientific reference and coordinator from 1989 to 1996, and the result were adopted also in Italy, after that “credits” are now a common word and merit value in the University reform. ECTS has connected more than 35 Universities and Fachhochschule in Europe, in the mechanical field Also the leadership and the management of the ECTS Project in the European Union activity was held in Politecnico di Milano towards EU by Prof. A. Rovetta, as a pilot project for the exchange of students in Europe. It was a great success of cooperation inside all the European Countries and the results are now applied in all Europe for undergraduate students exchange.
EMERGENCY NETWORK Management of the Proposal presented to Senato della Repubblica Italiana (Italian Parliament), Health Commission, for Health Emergency Network (118), February 2001, XIII Legislatura, Rome, published in Official Acts
TELEHEALTH IN AFRICA Full management and organization of the Project “Telehealth in Africa”, as President of UNESCO Committee of New Technologies, with United Nations, and international companies, for telemedicine between Europe and Africa, in 1996, with teleconferences and teaching by ISDN to European and African medical doctors and students for a special workshop on telehealth with medical applications in front of the African Conference on Telecommunications in United Nations organization ;
TELESURGERY BETWEEN EUROPE AND USA Management of Project “Telesurgery between Europe and USA” with USA in cooperation with NASA and JPL (Dr. A. Bejczy) for the application of telerobotics on surgery with transatlantic remote control of surgical machines, for the first experiment with results in the world on 1993 and teaching and training on results with University of South California (Prof. G. Bekey);
ROBOTICS Management of Projects in Italian National Council of Research, and in Project on Robotics, with the management and the dissemination of results, inside the organization and for the validation of results of the project;
MECHATRONICS Vrepar Project, in European Union projects, for the health control by mechatronic systems, as Responsible of the Unit of Politecnico di Milano;
NANO AND MICROTECHNOLOGIES Daphne Project, in European Union, for the neuromotor diseases analysis and with the application of a methodology for the brain control with special devices, as Responsible of the Unit of Politecnico di Milano.
CHINA COOPERATION Responsible of the management of the Project “Telecontrol and biorobotics” with Jiao Tong Shanghai University, China, Prof. Ma Dengzhe, under Ministries of Foreign Affairs of China and Italy, from 1999 to 2001 and from 2002 to 2004
Scientific achievements
Some scientific realizations.
1973: design of an elastic innovative system for telephone (with Prof. Emilio Massa)
1974: design of a vibrating system for sand transportation
1976: design of a rotary engine
1977: multifunctional robotic hand (between first in the world)
1982: Gilberto robot with vocal control and vision with microprocessor (one of the first in the world)
1984: first mechatronic lower limb prosthesis
1986: Project of new industrial system for the production of ice creams and foods
1988 : innovative management with industrial automation of the quality in alimentary systems
1992: telerobotics via telephone line, the first of its kind in the world
1993: 7 July: first transatlantic surgical telerobotics experiment conducted with JPL for telesurgery on a dummy
1994: Friend robot for space recovery in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency
1995: robotic and telerobotic surgical operation on a human patient in collaboration with the Policlinico di Milano
1996: Michelangelo dummy with microrobotics for heart surgery simulation
1996: creation of Telehealth in Africa in collaboration with ITU,UN
1996: instantaneous design of an engine with Alfa Romeo Race Team
1997: connection from Monterey to Milan for the control of a robotic hand, a robot, a small car
1997: Chairman and Responsible of a Workshop in European Union for “Detection of weak signals in the brain
1999: Responsible of European Project on Disease detection
1999: beginning of spatialisation of a space robot for Italian Agency Space (ASI)
2000: telecontrol at distance of a bionic prosthesis in phase of set up
2000: Development of Project with Chinese Jiao Tong Shanghai University for telerobotics
2001: Presentation in Japan of the projects on Microrobotics
2001: realization of system of logical recording in Internet of keywords (key-magic)
1999 Daphne project – Device for analysis of health and neuromotor efficiency, “Nano and microtechnologies Daphne Project, in European Union, for the neuromotor diseases analysis and with the application of a methodology for the brain control with special devices”, from 1999 to May 2002
2000: telecontrol of bionic leg
2000: Dynamics of chariots of Aegypt Pharaon Tut Anck Amun
2001: Logic storage of web sites (key-magic)
2001: : Development of the European project DAPHNE for the realization of system of control neuromotorio, with STM, Philips, University of the Studies in Milan, Jump design
2001 Net called of emergency 118. Management of the proposal introduced to the Senate of the Italian (Italian Parliament) Republic, Committee Sanità, for Net of Emergency for the Health (118), February 2001, on invitation of the Office of the Health,
2002: Ladyfly project
2003: European PSYCAR project
2004: DeeDee Project
2005: NOROS project
2006: Cirano Project
2007: Cleanwings Project
2008: Wastenergy project
Applicative projects.
- Member of the Pre-Feasibility Committee for the Finalized CNR (Italian National Council of Research) Project titled: "Application of robotics and telematics in biomedicine and surgery" and of the Committee for the Strategic CNR Project: "Robotics in Surgery"
Member of the Committee of Pre-Feasibility of the Finalized Project of the National Research Council titled “Robotics”
Member of the Commission of Feasibility and Prefeasibility of the Finalized Project Robotics of the CNR (Committee and National Research Council), and Member of the Customers for the Finalized Project Robotics of the CNR.
Responsible for the Day of Robotics at Polytechnic of Milan on 1 December 1986 under the auspices of the CNR;
Responsible for the CNR in the Exposition of Milan of the Day of the Robotics;
Responsible in 1986 of the National Convention of Robotics;
Responsible in 1991 of the Day of Study: The Robotics in Aid to the Disable People;
in 1993, Coordinator of the First International Meeting on the Theoretical Neurobiology.
Responsible of researches funded from the CNR with contracts and with contributions from 1976
Responsible of researches in the Projects 1, Energetic 2, Mechanical Technologies, Finalized Project Robotics, Project of Technological Transfer Finalizes to Energetics.
- Responsible of researches with grants with the Space Italian Agency (ASI)
Responsible of the Course of Permanent Instruction of "Applications of Robotics" and "Mechanics of the robots" from 1985-86 and of "Emergency in the robotics" in 1993 to the Polytechnic of Milan
- Politecnico for St. Petersburg
Responsible of the cooperation with St. Petersburg in the field of the twin cities Milan- St. Petersburg, with a seminary in St. Petersburg in 1997 with the cooperation of Pirelli, Alfa Romeo on the application of methodologies of production increase; meetings and cooperation.
Cooperation with the Academy of Sciences of Soviet Union and of Russia from 1980, with visits in Italy and meetings for the promotion of cooperation
Visit in Moscow and in St. Petersburg with the Rector of Politecnico di Milano Prof. Arrigo Vallatta, 1986, for the development of cooperation
Particular notes
The Scientists Award of the Japanese Government in the 1987 for collaboration with Laboratory MEL, in Tsukuba Science City. First Italian who been invited by Japanese Government for the Technologies
In 1998 to the Palace of the United Nations in Geneva during the General assembly of ITU, special mention to the Project Uita- Unesco "Telehealth in Africa" (Telesalute in Africa) coordinated from Prof. Rovetta
In 2001 honour guest of Institute of Technology of Tokyo for microrobotics
In 2002 invited guest for the Jubilee of Academician K. Frolov in Moscow for state of art of Mechanics
Scientific Committees
He has sat on the Scientific Committees of numerous international Conventions, including:
- NATO Workshop on Redundant Robots, Salo', June 1988
- Recent Advances in Robot Kinematics, Lubiana Sept. '88
- IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Tokyo, October 1988
- National Siri Congress, March 1988
- Scientific Committee for the Convention: NASA Conference on Telerobotics in Space, Pasadena, California, January 1989
- International Scientific Committee for the Convention: Intelligent Robots, Tsukuba Science City, September 1989
- IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Nice 1992
- IROS '92 - Raleigh, USA, 1992
- International Symposium on Intelligent Robots, Yokohama, July 1993
Control Systems, Budapest, July 1993
and many others
He was also appointed President of the World IFToMM Congress, Milan 1995.
Now he is member of many scientific Committees for Congresses and Workshops.
Conferences and Seminars
He has made part of the Scientific Committees of numerous international Conventions, between which:
NATO Workshop on Redundant Robots, Salo’, Italy, June 1988
Recent Advances in Robot Kinematics, Lubiana, Sept. 88
IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Tokyo, Oct. 1988
National Conference Siri, March 1988
Scientific Committee of the Convention: NASA Conference on Telerobotics in Space, Pasadena, California, January 1989
International Scientific Committee of the Convention: Intelligent Robots, Tsukuba Science City, September 1989
IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Nice, France, 1992
IROS ' 92, Raleigh, USA,
1992 - International Symposium on Intelligent Robots, Yokohama,
July 1993 - Control Systems, Budapest,
scientific Committee of RAAD 200o, Wien 2000
Scientific Committee IEEE, 2001, Seoul, Korea 2001
Scientific Committee of many other conferences, which directory would be too much along and the many others.
He is Member of the New York Academy of Sciences, Member of Accademia of Science and Lettere of Brescia,
Member of ASME, IEEE, IFAC, etc.
Prof. Rovetta has been invited to Conferences and Seminars at:
- JPL, California Institute of technology, March 1983
- University of South California, March 1983
- Soviet Union Science Academy, Inst. for the Theory of Machines and Mechanisms, Moscow, December 1982
- Soviet Union Science Academy, Institute of Informatics and Automatics, Leningrad, Sept. 1987
- MITI, Mechanical Engineering Laboratory, Tsukuba Science City Japan, August 1987
- Waseda University, Tokyo, September 1985
- General Lecture at the World Convention on the Theory of Machines and Mechanisms, Seville, September 1987
- General introduction to the Slovenian Convention on Robotics, April 1987
- Politecnico di Kaunas, Lithuania, September 1988
- National Jugoslav Convention on Robotics, Gled, June 1987
- Bulgarian Science Academy, Institute of Cybernetics, September 1984
- Thesis Discussion on biomechanics, Department of Biomechanics, MIT, Cambridge USA, March 1983
- Seminar for Italo-Czechoslovakian co-operation, Prague, Brno, March 1988
- General lecture to celebrate the centenary of the University of Ritsumejkan, Kyoto, July 1990;
- General Lecture at the World Convention on sensors and control in robots, ISCMR '92, Tsukuba Science City, November 1992;
Conference in the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Astronautics, 1992;
and many others up to now from 1992
Actions and International Cooperations
Invited at BUAA Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, for international cooperation in 2004-2005-2006-32007-2008
Plenary Lecture in RAAD, Wien, Austria, 2001, titled : New trends in robotics
Management of Project “Telecontrol and biorobotics” with Jiao Tong Shanghai University, China, Prof. Ma Dengzhe,
Invited at Japan Festa 2001 on Robotics, as Special Guest and Leader on Robotics in 2001 September
Award from European Space Agency for Student Contest on Space Robotics , as Ladyfly Space Robot Coordinator, 8 September 2003
Infopoverty World Conference, sponsored from United Nations, European Union, Unesco, as Coordinator and Chairman, 2000-2008
Conference: Etica estetica e spiritualità nella progettazione, Politecnico di Milano, 12 Apri 2005,
Plenary Lecture in RoManSY 2004, Montreal, Canada, titled : Robotics on space
And many others
He has been guest many times of Academy of Sciences of Poland; Czechoslovakia; Russia; China; DAR%PA; JPL-NASA; COPPE Brasil; etc
.
Publications
Prof. Rovetta has published more than 400 articles in Italian and International journals. He has also presented a number of papers at Italian and International Congresses.
Some of his papers have been published in the books of the MEL and MITI laboratories in Japan and in those of MIT, Boston, USA.
Author of the following books:
Esercitazioni di Meccanica Applicata, 1972 (Ist. di Meccanica, Politecnico di Milano)
A. Rovetta - E. Turci, Robots senza miti (Robots without myths), Publisher Clup, 1987
A. Rovetta - Robotica, Publisher Hoepli, 1990
A. Rovetta - Elementi di sistemi meccanici (Elements of mechanical systems), published by Clup, 1984
Rovetta - Elementi di Macchine con disegno, (Publisher. Clup, 1997)
Rovetta, [email protected], Ed. Esculapio, 2000
Rovetta, Methods of Design, Ed. Clup, 1994
A. Rovetta, Communication and design, Ed. Cusl, 1994
A. Rovetta, Safety in robotics, 1995
A. Rovetta- Elementi di Macchine con disegno, Ed. Clup, 1977
A. Rovetta - Robotica, Ed. Hoepli, 1990
A. Rovetta – Mechanics – Progetto e testo multimediale per la Comunità Europea , con dischetti, da CUSL, 1995
A. Rovetta, Design e multimedialità, Ed. Cusl
A. Rovetta , [email protected], Ed. Esculapio, 2000
A. Rovetta, Robotica, Manuale dell’Ingegnere, Nuovo Colombo, Vol. II, Voce “Robotica”, Cap. 12, pag.F527-F596 , 84a Edizione, Ed. Hoepli, 2003
A. Rovetta, Robotica, Ed. Hoepli, 2005
A. Rovetta, Design methodologies for a colony of autonomous space robot explorers, in: Intelligent robots for Space, NASA-JPL, Ed. Tunstel, 2006
Sito Internet : http://robotica.mecc.polimi.it
Patents
Prof. Rovetta has obtained numerous international and national patents on:
- lower limb prosthesis
- mechanical hand for robots (in conjunction with Alfa Romeo)
- multi-use robot (with Alfa Romeo)
- honing machine for printing cylinders
- gamma ray recognition system
- rotary engine of the trochoidal type
robotic dummy for heart surgery,
- sensor for prosthesis of lower limb
- system Daphne and Vrepar for the neuromotor analysis for Parkinson disease (with ST Microelectronics)
robot with voice control
robot Gilberto for vocal and visual control
- intelligent system of refuses collection
- DeeDee system for analysis of the control neuromotor
- intelligent system for the sensorization of containers for the disposal refuses
- system of taking robotics and maintenance for nuclear reactor
- prosthesis of inferior limb with intelligent control
and many others - etc.
He has collaborated and continues to collaborate with national and international research centres in accordance with protocol and operative agreements
Study and research developed themes
Dynamics of mechanical systems
Dynamics of rotating motors. Cable dynamics
Study and design of piston rings
CAD/CAM applications for systems development
Machine vibrations
Rheology of sandy and granular materials
Design of plastic sliding measurement systems
Robot hands. Kinematics and dynamics of robots
Experts systems for component assembly
Redundant robots. Voice control for robots.
Dynamic Integration of robot control and vision.
Design of fuse mechanisms
Functional analysis of biomechanical processes
Use of transputer for viewing systems
Application of automatic systems in the manufacturing industry
Telerobotics in space
On-line food production with a high innovative content
Sensors and instruments for on-line quality control
Refraction index measuring systems for liquids
Design of extremely light innovative presses
Development of automatic systems for colour change in printing machines
Design of new innovative lines for foodstuffs
Robot for the construction of artificial bone in biomaterials
Space robots
Innovative systems for the analysis in neurobiology.
Emergency of the robots
Neurobiology and robotics
Virtual reality in telerobotics
Surgical robotics
Telecommunications for the health
Projects of multimediality
Multimedia systems for the health and the telehealth
Systems integrated for the space robotics
Study of multifunctional teaching
Bionic prosthesis with new sensors
Telecommunication and teleconsulting with sharing of the communication
Modelisation of space systems: cinematic analysis and dynamics
Design of pressed automatic without foundation
Design of systems for the measure of the acidity of alimentary liquids
Systems for the production of ice creams
Systems for the automated production of food
Systems of industrial automation and robotics
Nanotechnologies in lower limb prosthesis
Systems for detection of diseases to neuromotor control
Sensors for the space
Robot for the surgery of the breast
Robot for the marrow explantation
Robot for the surgery of the liver
Telecommunication with systems Internet and Isdn
System software for the intelligent recording in Internet
System of remote control via Internet of a robot
Didactic museum in multimedia shape
Design of engines for race
Study on dynamics and functionality of the chariots of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tut Anck Amun
Disposal refuses with sensorization of the containers.
Sensorization of containers for disposal you refuse.
Control system for neuromotorio in condition of assumption of alcohol and drug.
With use of legs + wheels robot biscuit for exploration of Moon
Robot for planetary exploration in the extraterrestrial grounds.
Robot for grasping recovery of orbiting objects
